308 THE farmers' handbook. 



were made up of wheats from a number of different districts and from repre- 

 sentative samples of the grain obtained from the north, south, and west 

 respectively. 



The results of the separate milling of these samples by Mr. G. W. Norris 

 are given on the table on page 309. It will be seen that the northern mixture 

 is in no respect inferior to the others. There is, as a matter of fact, very 

 little to choose between them. The northern is a heavy wheat, being equal 

 to the southern, and heavier than the western. It stands midway between 

 the two in flour yield. In colour of flour there is little to choose between it 

 and western wheat, the southern wheat being somewhat whiter. The same 

 remarks apply to strength and gluten-content. In both these points the 

 northern and western are almost identical and slightly superior to the 

 southern. 



The question of the liability of the northern wheat to contract weevil, a 

 property which affects its keeping quality and its value as an article for 

 export, is a separate one. It seems to be the universal opinion that the 

 northern wheat is more liable to become weevily. The reason for this 

 probably does not lie with the wheat itself, but with the conditions under 

 which it is harvested. All new wheats when bagged have a tendency to 

 heat, and this tendency would be much greater in wheats bagged in the 

 northern wheat-fields, where comparatively humid conditions prevail, than 

 in the drier atmosphere of the south and west. 



This heating furnishes a more favourable temperature for the earlier 

 hatching out. of the eggs. 



When stored for any length of time without precautions against the hatch- 

 ing out of weevil, all wheats will develop them in the course of time. This 

 refers to the hardest macaroni wheats equally with the soft wheats. The 

 fact seems to be that the weevily condition becomes sooner apparent in the 

 northern wheats because these are bagged under surroundings favourable 

 to a rapid development. This is a serious objection to the miller, since he 

 prefers a wheat with keeping qualities in order to keep a stock for blending 

 purposes, so that he can ensure a uniform flour all the year round. 



To sum up, it would appear that the northern and north-western wheats 

 are in all respects quite as good milling wheats as the southern and western 

 wheats, but that the more humid conditions under which they are bagged 

 render them liable to develop weevil more readily than those bagged in the 

 drier districts, and consequently affect their keeping qualities. 



Similar objection is raised to Northern River maize, because of its ten- 

 dency to develop weevil. As much as 2d. or 3d. more per bushel has been 

 paid for Tumut-grown maize than for the Northern River product on 

 this account. The cause is the same as in the case of wheat. 



Strong-flour Wheats. 



The desirability of growing wheats of good flour strength cannot be too 

 strongly insisted upon. Thanks to the work of the wheat-breeders of Aus- 

 tralia, there are available varieties of wheat for seed purposes, suited to 

 the different districts, which possess this quality in an eminent degree. 



